Iraqi Soldiers Are Leaving ISIS Corpses Rotting In The Streets As Psychological Warfare

As the fight against the Islamic State in Mosul continues, Iraqi forces have been leaving the killed ISIS fighters strewn about the city as propaganda to keep Iraqi’s from joining the jihadist fighters.

“The message is clear to Iraqis, to keep them from joining or supporting Daesh (Islamic State). This will be your fate. The Iraqi army will finish you off,” said Ibrahim Mohamed, an Iraqi soldier.

Mohamed’s cousin was killed by the Islamic State while they had full control of Mosul solely because he was a policeman. Mohamed told Reuters that they will “leave the terrorists there.”

Another soldier, Assad Hussein, said that the Iraqis leave the bodies in the streets to let others know there is a price to pay if you’re on the wrong side.

“We leave them in the street like that so the dogs eat them,” Hussein said. “We also want the citizens to know there is a price for supporting terrorists.”

Iraqi officials said that the tactic has been highly effective.

Citizens of the city have become accustomed the rotting corpses in the streets. Passersby reportedly don’t mind the stench and sights as they go about their day-to-day business in the war-torn area.

A 13-year-old boy, Salem Jamil, said that he agrees with the idea of leaving the bodies in the streets.

“The bodies should stay,” Jamil said. “Daesh killed lots of people so why should they be buried?”

The decaying bodies not only pose a heath threat to citizens because of the unsanitary nature of the tactic, but also because many of the terrorists dead bodies are still strapped with bombs, capable of being detonated by simply pulling a pin.